Feb 22, 2022 19:00:00

The brains of astronauts who stayed in space were found to be 'rewired'

Astronauts exposed to the weightless conditions of space experience a variety of changes, including a decrease in muscle and bone strength, and

space anemia . Recent research reports have revealed that the space environment has unknown effects not only on the body but also on the brain.

Frontiers | Brain Connectometry Changes in Space Travelers After Long-Duration Spaceflight | Frontiers in Neural Circuits
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fncir.2022.815838/full

Brains of cosmonauts get 'rewired' to adapt to long-term space missions, study finds – Science & research news | Frontiers
https://blog.frontiersin.org/2022/02/18/brains-of-cosmonauts-get-rewired-to-adapt-to-long-term-space-missions-study-finds/

Signs of 'Significant' Brain Rewiring Have Been Found in Space Travelers
https://www.sciencealert.com/the-brains-of-space-travelers-get-rewired-to-adapt-to-their-new-environments

As space travel becomes more commonplace, the impact of the extreme environment of space on health has become an issue. Therefore, a research team led by Floris Wits of the University of Antwerp in Belgium conducted a study to scan the brains of astronauts with MRI to examine changes before and after going into space.

Twelve male astronauts participated in the study. When researchers scanned the brains of astronauts who spent an average of 172 days in space, they found changes in neural connections in the brain's motor cortex. Since this region is related to sensory and motor functions, the research team concludes, ``The changes observed in the astronauts' brains have some connection with the astronauts' adaptation to life in a microgravity environment.'' He speculates that this may be the case.

Some of the changes that occurred in the astronauts' brains were reversed after they returned to Earth, but others remained unchanged even seven months after returning to Earth. did.

Regarding this, Andrei Droshin of Drexel University in the United States, the lead author of the paper, said, ``We discovered that there were changes in neural connections in the motor cortex of the brain. 'In weightlessness, astronauts have to use very different methods of movement than on the ground. Our research shows that their brains have been rewired, so to speak.' I commented.

Changes in the brain's neural connections are not uncommon. For example, when a person acquires new knowledge or skills, the wiring of the neuron network changes. Furthermore, details such as the mechanism and specific effects of the brain changes observed this time are not known at the time of writing.

However, Witts said, ``This discovery gives us another piece of the puzzle. Because this research is so pioneering, we don't yet see the full extent of the puzzle. 'This will contribute to our overall understanding of what happens in the human brain. It is extremely important that we continue to examine the changes in the brain caused by spaceflight using a variety of perspectives and methods.' emphasized the significance of this research.

In addition, Frontiers Media, an academic publisher that covered the results of this study, said, ``Astronauts' muscles and bones weaken, so measures are taken, such as exercising for at least two hours a day. 'It may turn out that the brain also needs measures.'